Kōrero with a Creative: Rilee Nepia-Owens
Ataria Sharman: How do you describe your art?
Rilee Nepia-Owens: I like to think of my art as the visual representation of our spiritual connection to nature. I'm very much a Papatūānuku energy type of person and like to express that through my paintings and prints. I paint semi-abstract and abstract pieces mixed with portraiture as this allows me to use the right techniques to convey my feelings. When I make digital collages, like the ones in Guided by the Stars, I take my photography, drawings and other sourced imagery and like to create a small explosion of nature. I like to create art that you can almost drift away in.
AS: What does a typical day for you look like?
RNO: I work on my art between the school runs as I’m a māmā. I start with admin, emails and scheduling social media posts. Then depending on how I'm feeling, I will paint, work on making digital collages or spend the day sketching and brainstorming.
AS: How long does it take you to complete an art print?
RNO: Once I have an idea in my head for a print/digital collage, I can get them done in a day.
AS: You collaborated with your sister Whitley Nepia on the poetry book Guided by the Stars, who passed away before it was published. What was it like working with her on that?
RNO: I feel really lucky to have helped her dive deep into her creative side. We were each other's accountability partners, so it was an uplifting, motivational time for us both. It was nice to see her standing so strong in her creative energy because she described herself as “not artistic or creative” her whole life. As bittersweet as it can sometimes feel for me – completing the last bits of our project by myself and not having her here to witness her magic – I am proud of her work being out in the world.
Seeing how many people it has brought to tears and how people relate to it is a pleasure. I'm proud of myself for pushing through my grief and seeing the project through. To be honest, I always have a laugh because everyone who knew her would tell you that there was absolutely no way she would let me cancel the project.
AS: What other kaupapa are you working on at the moment?
RNO: Beyond working on a collection of paintings, I am currently brainstorming a way to help other creatives get more visibility to gain confidence and learn more about getting their creations and art out in front of people. Networking is hard for us artists sometimes, and taking those first steps was definitely something I struggled with, so I would like to help others in that boat.
AS: How can wāhine order your book and art prints?
RNO: My prints and the Guided by the Stars book are available online at rilee-nepia-owens-art.myshopify.com. The book is also on Amazon.
